Women Charged with Attempted Murder, Arson in Mount Carmel

MOUNT CARMEL, Pa. -- Two women are locked up in Northumberland County after authorities say they set a home on fire with a woman asleep inside.

Police say those two women, Misty Lynn Dunbar and Michelle Rhoads, both of Mount Carmel, set the fire on Walnut Street in Mount Carmel early Tuesday morning. Court documents say the women used a gas can from under the porch of the house to start the blaze. The fire spread to the home next door.

Dunbar and Rhoads were arraigned Wednesday on attempted homicide and arson charges.

A witness who had been with them at a local bar came to police with information that helped lead to the arrest.

The owner of the home tells Newswatch 16 his son, the son's girlfriend, and his two grandsons live there. That night, his grandsons were not home. His son was at work.

Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Matulewicz says that while police have been able to provide enough evidence against Dunbar and Rhoads to charge them, the investigation is still ongoing.

"These larger cases, they typically are not over. The investigation doesn't end. There's laboratory tests that need to be performed. There's additional evidence that needs to be collected. There's some things that came out today that need to be followed up on," Matulewicz said.

Neighbors who live around Walnut Street say they are glad everyone is OK, but it scares them that something like this could happen just down the block.

"It's pretty scary. I moved here less than a year ago, and I would never suspect, or expect that to happen," said a neighbor who didn't want to be identified.

"It's scary because I have kids and all, so it kind of makes you unnerved, nervous," said April Snyder of Mount Carmel.

Both women were denied bail and a preliminary hearing has been set for next week.

yabbadabbadude

Lemme see…finishing high school (at least), having and holding a job, being self-sufficient and taking care of your own
kids and creating a stable home environment for them (if you have any), paying taxes, taking care of yourself and your possessions, obeying the laws, and respecting yourself and others. Any other questions?

yabbadabbadude

Rusty Knyffe

Oh, Loonbug, take a break, why not? A POS is a POS, regardless of demographics. However, nearly all violence against people of color is committed BY people of color, you buffoon. The data sucks, of course, but it’s data, nonetheless.